


Nightflowers

by DawnRain_776



Category: Original Work
Genre: F/M, Multi
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-10-29
Updated: 2018-11-28
Packaged: 2019-08-09 16:18:11
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 6,862
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16453220
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DawnRain_776/pseuds/DawnRain_776





	1. Chapter 1

I awoke in the coolness of the Cellar. It was still dawn, the gray time before the heat came in sweltering waves and the sun beat down, burning the skin and causing red, blistering Heat Spots.  
I glanced around. Everyone else was still sleeping. Sky and Bliss curled up on a cot like two baby birds in a nest. Rose and Briar were sleeping together on the couch. Bluebell was snuggled up in her crib beside Marigold's small bed and the two boys, Hawk and Thistle were nestled together on their bedrolls. Dawn, who was sleeping with me on our mattress, rolled over now, her long legs pushing the blanket away accidentally. Her slender face was just visible from my position, a peaceful mask of sleep. Not for long. I carefully extracted myself from the pile of threadbare blankets pile of limbs and got up. The floor was cold and I almost shivered. But I didn't as I remembered what the world would be like outside once the sun was up. 

Our humble abode was small, considering that there were are ten of us. There were two rooms, one where we slept and stored supplies, and the other where we ate and prepared food, and washed clothes and ourselves. I stepped into the latter and walked up to the shuttered double doors that protected us from the outside. I peered between two shutters. The sun was still rising outside. A couple desert deer bound by on nimble legs A snake is draped over a rock and the Nightflowers were closing their petals. I should go outside now, before the sun became any hotter was too hot, and get water and fresh food for us. We eat an awful lot. 

I pulled on my sand clothes, a tight tunic made of breathable tan fabric and leggings. I grabbed my goggles and wrapped more fabric around my head to protect my face from the heat. I pulled on a worn pair of leather boots from where they sat next to the other shoes and slung the a rifle over my shoulder. We were all very good at shooting because of all the practice we had with our dad. I could remember many times, with dad, shooting practice with the rifle. I felt a pang of grief, Our parents were both dead, one of childbirth, one of suicide, though we don’t tell the little ones that. I shake away the thought, and unlock the door, hearing every small click the old lock makes. All of my siblings have amazing eyesight and hearing, but I’ve never known why.  
I felt a pang of grief. Our parents were both dead and gone, one from childbirth, one from suicide, though we don’t tell the little ones that. I sighed and unlocked the door with a series of rapid clicks. I can hear everything around me, like my siblings and have incredible eyesight, though I have no idea why. 

I pulled open the door and a wave of warming air hit me. My vision was slightly distorted by the goggles as I stepped into the sunlight and looked around. The deer had scattered since I had come out and were standing on a nearby rise. The snake slithered away, disturbed from its sunny perch. The pump…First on my agenda was water. I pulled the water jug out from its place inside the door the Cellar and slung it over my shoulder. Then I closed the door and turned, stepping up the steep sandy slope hill to one side of our home. 

The pump was just over the hill and I hoped had to get there before any of the scavengers appeared. I looked over and saw a couple of slim figures sitting by the pump. I had to scare them away or they would take the precious water. I pulled the rifle over and fired a warning shot into the air. The scavengers looked my way and I ducked behind the wall, peeking out after a moment. one wall of our house. One of them said something unintelligible from my vantage point. I shouted at them and stepped out from behind the wall, wielding my rifle expertly. I wasn't going to shoot them, I'm not that cruel. I realized that neither one had any protection against the sun, but a shirt and pants.has anything covering their skin other than pants and a shirt. 

They were both girls, about Dawn's age (15), maybe a little younger, one with long red hair and freckles and the other with short blond hair. in a boy haircut (like Thistle and Hawk's hair). For a split second, the red-haired girl scrutinized me before they both ran over the hill. I stared after them as they disappeared around the other wall of our house, a path that gives way to an incline covered in sand. Most things are covered in sand now, things that used to be bright and green, like in the books in the cellar. of rocks that is covered by sun-dried dirt. We think that it used to be a path for the people that lived above the Cellar in Before. The house above is in ruins now. When we were little, Dawn, Hawk and I snuck out to the H house. We didn't get very far, because dad found us and banned us from ever going there again. He said it was unstable and the walls could fall on us at any moment. To this day, I thought that his stories were stupid, but I never disrespected him. 

I walked over to the pump and filled the jug up until water spilled was spilling from the top. I trudged back down the hill, already sweating in the heat, despite only being out for several minutes. and stared around for edible plants. I circled farther around the House for a while until I found a small cluster of Chollas. I pulled a switchblade from my belt and hacked away at the Cholla buds until I had enough to dry and roast for food. I was already hungry, and I thought of roasted cholla buds as I carried the heavy jug. All of us loved roasted C cholla B buds and agave nectar. We still had some jars of Agave nectar, but we would need to go out and find some more agave once they were ready to be harvested. I had to get back and make a morning meal before everyone else was up.  
As I walked down to the Cellar's door, a flash or red entered my field of vision. A fox. Extremely rare creatures now, I’ve only ever seen a couple in my life. It had human eyes, or at least I thought it did. The creature ran took off running before I could tell. the moment it saw me and was gone. I opened the door carefully and stepped in, pulling my sand gear off as I went. 

It was still quiet and dark in the Cellar as I walked through the door. I heard blankets rustle as I closed the door softly and soft breathing from the kids. Everyone was still asleep. I breathed a sigh of relief as I sat the jug down and started up the small camp stove that we cooked on. I poured water into a large pot and sat it on the warming stove. What would be good for breakfast today. I glanced around and saw Bluebell shifting, hitting a jar of oats unconsciously. I was there in a flash and caught the jar before it smashed onto the floor. Ok, oats then. I poured some into the pot and left it there to cook. Now that breakfast was almost ready, I should probably start waking everyone up. I shook Bluebell in her cot and whispered softly to Rose, "Wake up sweetie." 

I pulled the blankets off Thistle and Hawk and walked over to the cabinets to grab some fruit and nectar to eat with breakfast. I turned around and gasped. Dawn was standing right behind me, her eerie green eyes shining in the half light. Dawn was an enigma wrapped in a tortilla covered in peanut butter. We had only had peanut butter once. When we were younger, before he and mom died, Dad had found a "recipe book" from Before. He had decided to cook tortillas. We all ran around, trying out the new word and then he brought out a jar with sticky brown sauce in it and spread it thick in the tortillas, letting us all eat as much as we could. It was rare that we all got everything we wanted but that day it felt like I had found a peaceful place. 

"Lily? Lily!" Dawn waved a hand in front of my face and I shook my head.  
"What?" I looked at her.  
"Do you want me to get everyone else up?" I looked around, Hawk was sitting up sleepily and Rose was talking quietly to Briar. "Yeah, sure." I said and grabbed a couple prickly pears. Thistle whooped and grabbed them, Rose and Sky ran after, yelling wildly.  
"Here we go again," I sighed and pulled the oats from the stove. Hawk was herding the little girls in the other room as I started to dish up. Rose was at the table right away and grabbed the first plate. Hawk stuffed Bliss in a chair next to Rose and Briar wrangled Thistle. Dawn came over to the table with a jar of nectar and a bowl of cut up prickly pear. She sat them down and snagged Sky, sitting her down. Soon everyone was sitting at the table eating loudly and talking. I sat beside Hawk and snatched the nectar away from Thistle, who was spooning the whole jar onto his oats. Bluebell started crying and Dawn got up to get her a bottle of powdered milk. Bliss finished and started crawling around beneath the table. I ducked as Sky threw a piece of prickly pear at Thistle and missed. This was going to be a long day.  
***  
I wiped spilled milk from the table as the little girls screamed in delight. I looked over, Dawn was wowing them with her balancing plates skills. Hawk grabbed her plates and threw them into the washtub. Thistle was grumbling about having to wash the dishes and Briar splashed him. Dawn was chasing Hawk around the room and Rose was pretending to be a monster and chasing the girls.  
I threw the cloth to Briar. She dunked it into the water and started scrubbing. She bumped into Thistle and he bumped her back. Hawk got splashed as he ran past followed by Dawn and joined in. Soon they were all splashing and throwing towels at each other. The girls saw and laughed, joining in happily. I turned away to get the broom and felt a wet towel fly across my back.  
"Seriously?" I turned around.  
Hawk laughed and stuck his tongue out at me. I flung it back at him and the room exploded into chaos. I was soaked when Bliss leapt onto my back and a hoard of little girls wrestled me to the ground. Everyone was laughing and screaming, throwing towels and splashing. Everything was in chaos and we were all so happy.  
***  
Peeling the soaked shirt off Marigold, I toweled her off. I threw the shirt to Dawn, who hung it on the wire across the ceiling. I pulled a threadbare shirt from the drawer and pushed her into it, humming an old lullaby.  
"Be careful," Marigold whined as I pulled a brush through her snarled hair. I look across the room. Dawn was hanging up some wet clothes, Briar was helping Bluebell get dressed and the boys were throwing a ball to each other while Sky tried to leap up and catch it. Suddenly I heard a bang against the door.  
"Hide!" Said Dawn and we scattered.  
I pulled Dad's switchblade from the shelf and leapt behind the table, Sky was under it. Hawk ducked behind the washtub and pulled the rifle from the wall while Dawn and Bluebell squeezed beneath the table, Thistle and Bliss vaulted behind a cabinet and Briar went behind the couch. Rose was the last one to hide as the door opened. It was eerily quiet, no kids squealing. Two people stepped in, wearing black cloths over their faces. Desert scavengers. I pulled two fingers up and curled them around, a sign to Hawk. Sky gasped, and I put a hand over her mouth.  
"Quiet," I breathed into her hair, "Stay as still as you can."  
The two thieves were light on their feet, still not totally convinced that the place was empty. They were both women, by their stance and one was slightly taller than the other. I could tell that the small relied on speed more than agility or strength, she darted around. The other looked more agile and held a long blade in her right hand. I looked over at Hawk. He was counting down on his fingers, 4...3...2...  
Dawn leapt out from beneath the table and slid over to the thieves.  
"Who are you," she circled them, light on her feet, "What are you doing here."  
The taller one fingered her blade and swung it towards Dawn. She ducked, and Briar appeared, holding two knives. She threw one to Dawn, who caught it easily and did a cartwheel to land before the thieves. "We can take them," I heard one say, "You get the redhead."  
The shorter darted at Dawn and pulled out a switchblade. Briar threw a punch at the taller and she ducked. They both fought for a while and Briar was kicked to the ground. Dawn did a backwards walkover and stood by Briar. She put one hand behind her back and counted down. We exploded into action, surrounding them in a matter of seconds. Hawk pointed the rifle and I held the switchblade. "What are you doing here," said Hawk.  
The taller girl sighed and pulled away her mask. It was the girl I had seen by the pump, the one with the blond hair. She seemed to see the recognition in my eyes. The other girl took off her mask as well to reveal red hair.  
"We didn't mean to scare you," said the taller girl, "I thought that this place was empty. We just needed help, food and water. She's hurt," the girl pointed to the red-haired girl.  
The red-haired girl's eyes seemed to glass over at that moment and she fell to the ground. She took the redhead's hand away from her stomach to show us a bloody palm, "Please help us."  
I looked at Hawk and he nodded. "Get her on the couch," I said and we lifted the girl onto one of the couches. "Get some bandages and water," I said, "Who are you?"  
"My name is Arina and that is Quinn," the blond girl stared at me.  
I pulled Quinn's shirt up to reveal a long cut on her side. Hawk came back and pressed a towel against it. I handed Arina a canteen of water and she thirstily gulped. "You can stay until she is better," I said hesitantly.  
Arina smiled, "Thank you so much. We won't be any trouble to you."  
I carefully dressed Quinn's wound as Dawn got out some blankets. Quinn seemed to be semi-aware of her surroundings, but she kept calling me Reis. We moved her to the blankets carefully and I left her to make a midday snack for us all. The kids were getting restless. I pulled out some pita bread and prickly pear jam (we eat prickly pear everything). Everyone crowded around the table to grab a chunk of Pita bread and smear jam on it. I took a tray over to Quinn and Arina. Quinn was sitting up now, though her eyes was glassy, and they accepted the food gratefully. I tried to smile as much as I could but could see that blood was already soaking through the bandage across her stomach.  
I gave Arina the tray and she muttered, "Thank you," softly.  
I grabbed a piece of Pita and walked over to sit on the bed in the other room. Our parents had slept there a long time ago. I'm not sure how long I sat there but it felt like a time-lapse. The world moved around me, everyone walked around, I smelled something cooking and heard almost muffled sound from people talking and laughing. It was dusk outside when I felt someone sit down next to me. I came out of my trace and was quiet for a moment.  
"You blame yourself, don't you," Dawn said softly.  
I sighed, not sure what to say. It was true. I should have stopped Dad, helped him. I had carried it on my shoulders for two years. I turned and stared into Dawn's eyes. She was different than the rest of us. Not as carefree. It was like she knew something, was bound to something and it ruled her. It was as if Dawn could see into people's souls and know what was inside. It scared me to think that it was possible but at the same time it felt comforting to have someone who could even try to understand.  
"I guess you read my mind," I said, trying to laugh. Something appeared in Dawn's eyes for a second and then was gone.  
"I have a way of reading people," she said, an odd note in her voice, "You don't need to blame yourself, you know. It was meant to happen for some reason."  
I felt a tear in my eye and flicked it away.  
Standing, I closed myself off again, "I better get everyone together for dinner."  
I could have sworn I heard Dawn growl, but I was walking away before I could really tell. A pot of soup was steaming on the stove with Hawk nearby, cutting up something. I stirred it and took a sip. Sprinkling in salt, I nodded and walked over to where some of the little girls were playing. They were all crowding around the old locked chest. None of us knew what was inside and it had been locked for as long as I could remember.  
"What are you doing," I asked.  
Marigold turned around, "It's open! It's open! Sky opened the chest."  
They all stepped away to reveal the chest, opened to show a bunch of bundled clothes. They were all bright colors and all shapes and sizes. There were other things too, hats and shoes. Bliss donned a giant white dress and Sky tottered around in weird red shoes with sticks on the back. Marigold had a sparkly hat crammed onto her head and Rose pulled on a pink scarf and odd black lensed glasses. Thistle came over, Briar following him and soon everyone was trying on the clothes. Except me. Me and Dawn. Bluebell had seized the red shoes and was running around the room holding them above her head. Rose was sitting on the floor organizing some scarves in color order and Thistle has found a wide brimmed hat and an odd oblong instrument that made sounds when you pulled your fingers across the strings attached to it.  
I spotted something at the bottom of the trunk and pulled it out. It was a black leather-bound book. I opened it to the first page and saw the swirly cursive script of Mom sketched on the inside cover. I snapped the book shut and returned it immediately. Dawn started the call for dinner then and everyone left for the table. I followed, wondering what that book was.


	2. Chapter 2

Seeing Mom's handwriting in that book nagged at my mind the rest of the evening. I was tucking Sky into bed when she stared at me, a concerned expression on her face.   
"Are you all right Lily?" She asked.   
I smiled at her and pulled the covers up, "I'm fine."   
I walked over to Arina and Quinn's makeshift bed, "How are you feeling?"   
"She doesn't have a fever," Arina said. Quinn was already fast asleep.   
"That's good. If she develops a fever during the night, wake me up."   
I was about to turn around when I heard a small animal sound. Something rustled the blankets and I saw a bit of black fur peeking out from beside Quinn.   
"What is that!" I leapt back. The whole room quieted instantly.   
Arina lifted the animal from under the covers. It was a small black thing, kind of like a fox, but much smaller. "This is Reis. He's a cat," the cat blinked up at me, Its yellow eyes almost human.   
"It's a wild animal!" I glared at the creature suspiciously. Who would ever name an animal.   
"No! Reis is tame. He won't eat you in the middle of the night. He's our pet," Arina chuckled, brushing her hand along the cat's back.   
I whispered these new words to myself, tame, pet. "You can keep him, but please don't let him eat any of our food during the night. We'll give him something in the morning."   
Arina nodded and settled down beside Quinn. The cat made its odd noise again and curled up in her lap.   
***   
I carried the towels back out, handing them to Dad. He grimaced and took them. Mom's screams ripped through the air. It was taking too long. She had been like this for much longer than she was with the rest of us. The other kids were huddled in the corner, Marigold crying. There was too much blood. I took some soiled towels over to where Dawn and Hawk were hurriedly washing them. Each of Mom's screams grew louder and louder.   
Suddenly, she stopped screaming and the cries of a newborn filled the air. The very air seemed to sigh with relief.   
"Lily!" Dad called, his voice strained and tired, "Come here."   
I ran over to the other room, where Mom lay in the bed. I tried not to look at the blood on the sheets. Dad beckoned me and I knelt down beside Mom. Her face was greasy with sweat and she panted hard. The baby was already sleeping peacefully, a little fluff of blond on its head.   
"Her name is Bluebell," Mom's voice was tired and raspy.   
I stroked the baby's damp locks, "She's beautiful."   
"Lily," Mom's voice seemed to catch as she took my hand in her shaking, weak one. "Whatever happens, I want you to take care of your siblings."   
"Mom? What are you-"   
Mom seemed to be growing weaker, and I realized something, "Just promise me that you will care for them."   
Tears pricked in my eyes, "I p-promise."   
"I love you, Lily, and all of your siblings and your father," she sighed, her breath rasping, "I will always be here."   
"No! Please don't leave me!" I begged, squeezing her hand, "Please."   
Mom let out a last breath and her eyes dimmed. I began to cry.   
Dad startled and shook Mom, "River? River! Don't leave me."   
His scream of grief tore through the air as he stormed out into the night.   
I sat up in bed, breathing hard. I had that dream every so often, along with others. Nightmares, that haunted my thoughts. All of them about Mom and Dad. I heard a slight noise and turned. A silhouette was in the other room, a vaguely human man. I got out of bed and lit a candle, quietly creeping into the other room. The walls are just bars between the two rooms, so you can see everything that is happening.   
When I got to the other room, I just saw Reis, the cat, slinking across the floor.   
"Why can't you stay with Arina and Quinn, you stupid animal," I grumbled, herding him back into the room. He meowed at me and walked over to Arina and Quinn's bed.   
"Goodnight to you too," I got back into bed. The cat walked over to me and meowed again.   
I growled under my breath, a sound that surprised me, "What do you want?"   
He walked back over to Quinn and Arina. I got up and followed him. He leapt onto the blankets and touched Quinn's forehead, meowing again.   
"Do you want me to touch her?"   
Reis meowed and nodded his head. He looked almost human for a moment. I touched Quinn's forehead. It was slick with sweat and very hot.   
"How did you know that, clever cat," I stepped over to the shelves and pulled a piece of venison down. Reis ate it from the floor as I threw it to him. I almost snatched it back, still not used to sparing food for an animal.  
I dampened a towel with some water and put it on Quinn's forehead. Carefully, I shook Arina, "Quinn has a fever."   
She was up in a second, "What do we do?"   
"Keep changing the towel on her forehead," I looked at the shelves, "I'll dig up some dried Chamomile tomorrow."   
Arina nodded, mopping Quinn's forehead with the towel.   
***   
When I woke the next morning, it was bright. Too bright. People were talking. I leapt up in bed, realizing that I had overslept.   
"Relax Lily," Briar said, walking past, "You needed more sleep. We all saw the dark circles around your eyes."   
I guess I had been working too hard.   
"Breakfast," Hawk called from across the room.   
The noise swelled as everyone dropped what they were doing, literally in some cases, and rushed to the table. I sat down between an arguing Sky and Bliss and started to eat the oatmeal.   
"We will need to go to the trading post today," I said over a bite of oatmeal. Thistle nodded his head from across the table, chewing with his mouth open. Growing up without parents mostly, you don't develop the best manners.   
"Who will go?" Briar gave Bluebell her powdered milk, "We need to make a list of supplies."   
"Good idea Briar," I thought for a minute, and everyone continued to talk, "I'll go this time. With Hawk... Sky, and Briar."   
"Can I come?" Arina asked.   
Hawk nodded from across the table, "If she's going to stay with us for a while, she might as well learn our ways."   
"But I want to go," Thistle whined.   
I rolled my eyes, "You went last time."   
***   
Gearing up took a long time, especially for Sky, it's only her second time to the trading post.   
"Don't forget to bring the Aloe nectar," Briar reminded Sky.   
"Dried Cholla Buds," Hawk threw the jars to me and I stuffed them into my pack.   
I finished winding the fabric around Sky's face and pushed her goggles down, "All set?" She nodded, her face brave.   
I pulled my own goggles on and open the door. The sun hit the lenses, a glare settling over my vision. The heat hit me in waves, pounding over my body.   
"It's really hot today," Hawk remarked, trudging towards the hill.   
"You say that every time we come out," Briar bumped shoulders with him.   
Arina was quiet as we walked up another hill, scraggily desert plants dotting the landscape. "Are you okay?" I asked her.   
"I'm fine. Just worried about Quinn," She adjusted her pack and kept walking.   
I was worried about Quinn too, "When we get to the trading post, hopefully someone will have some yarrow or comfrey that we can put on her wound."   
"How do you remember the names of healing herbs?" Arina asked.   
I looked up at the sky, a fathomless, cloudless blue, "I used to read books about people who would heal others. Called doctors. I have always wanted to heal people as well. It just seemed... right."   
Our group was quiet for a long time. The only sound was our feet crunching on the sand and a slight wind blowing over the land.   
"I see it!" Sky called, pointing into the distance. Sure enough, the trading post was visible, a distant speck. We cheered and Hawk ran up the next hill. "You can see something?" Arina asked.   
"It's just a speck," I said. Perhaps our keen senses were not as normal as I thought.   
The rest of the journey passed more quickly. The tents were set up tightly packed, with signs and boards displaying products. Hand woven scarves, spirit warding amulets, tropical fruits, and much more.   
"I'll go with Briar and Sky to get some food," Hawk said, already herding them away.   
"I'll get some herbs with Arina," I set off towards the general direction of the herb tent, or at least the place where it had been before.   
The tent was made of dark blue fabric. For some reason, it is always dark.   
"Lily!" A woman called from a nearby tent.   
I turned to see Elicia, a trader. "Won't you stop to buy some fruit," she said, standing in the doorway. Her skirts billowed out in the slight wind.   
"Okay," I walked over to her, Arina following close behind.   
"Who's your friend?" Elicia led the way into her tent. I pulled my goggles up. Barrels of fruit lined the walls, everything from prickly pears to dried mangos and pineapples. I picked so fruit up and sat it on the folding table where Elicia sat, calmly cutting some mango to dry.   
"This is Arina, we picked her up," I said simply. You never tell anyone everything, even if you know them well. You can't trust anyone but your family. And you can't always trust family either. "I can trade you some agave for this," I sat my pack on the floor and dug through it.   
"Three jars?" Elicia inspected the containers of golden liquid as I sat them on the table.   
I heard Arina gasp nearby, "What are these?" I turned to see her gawking over some orange fruits.   
"Oranges," Elicia wrapped the fruit up and handed it to me, "Very rare and expensive."   
"We have to go now," I said, pulling my pack onto my shoulders, "Thank you."   
Elicia nodded as I pulled my goggles back down again. Arina and I crossed the sandy pathway to the healer's tent. A couple of cloaked travelers stepped out as we went in, talking in another language.  
"Hello, hello," the herb seller said. He sat at his table, as always, cutting a bundle of herbs and adding it to a pot of boiling water. "What do you need today?"   
"Comfrey," I stopped to inspect a bundle of thyme. It was dark in the tent, with only the light of the fire and a few candles. "And some yarrow and lemon balm." I thought for a second, "And a few more things."   
"You always get so much," he remarked, standing, "You must like herbs."   
I chuckled, "You have to like herbs to survive out here."   
"Very true," he grinned and pulled some bundles of herbs down. "What do you have to pay with?"   
"Dried Cholla Buds," I said, taking the jars from my pack. I handed them to him in exchange for the herbs. "Thank you," I said, as we walked out.   
Arina stopped suddenly, "Nightflowers. Why would you sell poison?"  
I look over at the bundles of flowers, the color of the midnight sky.  
"Night flowers aren't poison to humans, girl. Just to those who aren't entirely human."   
As we walked back to meet the others, I pondered what he could possibly mean by that.


	3. Chapter 3

That night, I woke to whispering in the dark. Carefully, I rolled over. Everyone was in their beds. Except Arina.   
"They will find out on their own if you don't tell them," Arina whispered.   
"I can't," An unfamiliar male voice hissed, "They would think that I was a madman."   
Arina sighed, "You can't keep a secret like this forever."   
I heard footsteps, pacing, "We aren't the only ones that aren't normal. I can smell something different about them."   
"What do you mean?" Arina sounded confused, almost irritated.   
"They have the same sort of smell as Quinn and me. Wild and distinctly animal." He stopped pacing. My eyes go wide. They must be talking about us. But how could we smell like animals.   
"Do they know?"   
The man made an indiscernible noise, "I don't think so."   
Arina's voice was tight, "How could they not?"   
"Perhaps a spell," The man resumed his pacing. "Could you lift it?"   
"Maybe."   
A spell? Magic? Animals? What could they possibly be talking about.   
Suddenly, I heard a voice that was disturbingly familiar and realized that the other side of the couch was empty.   
"They don't know," Dawn said, "But I do."   
I climbed out of bed as carefully as I could and crouched behind and old piece of wood, propped against the wall. A large hole in the wood was the perfect spot for me to watch them.   
The man, about the same age as me (17) was tall, with dark hair. He stood defensively behind Arina, who's eyes seemed to glow green in the darkness. Dawn stood opposite to them. Suddenly her form rippled and, in her place, stood a small red wolf.   
"So," the man said, "There are others like me."  
His form rippled too and a black cat stood in his place. Reis. I gasped and covered my mouth with my hand. Too late. Arina turned towards me. I slipped back to the couch and lay down, pulling the blanket over myself.   
"I know that you're awake," Reis whispered, close to my ear. I closed my eyes tightly, hoping that he would go away. Suddenly, I felt a pain in my shoulder and yelped.   
"What did you hear," Arina was holding a dagger suddenly.   
"About that we smell different, and Dawn is like Reis and you... you can turn into animals and you have magic and..."   
The room swooped around me and everything went black.   
***   
Dad stumbled through the door, a bottle in his hand. He took a swing and swayed into the room.   
"River?" He yelled. The room was silent.   
"Keep the little kids in the corner," I whispered to Dawn.   
"Lily! Where's River," I walked over to Dad slowly. He glared at me, his face flushed.   
"She's gone, Dad," I whispered, tears pricking in my eyes, "She's gone."   
"You stupid girl," He raised his hand and slapped my cheek. The sound echoed across the room.   
I ran back to the little kids as it begun. Dad screamed and yelled, bowls and plates crashing across the floor. The entire quiet night rent apart by shouts and crashing furniture.   
I woke, gasping and thrashing. It was still dark. Dawn stood over me, with Quinn and an unfamiliar man. Then it all came back. The conversation, Quinn, and Arina, the black cat that turned into the man and Dawn.   
I tried to push through them and wake the others, but Reis grabbed me and put a hand over my mouth.   
“Stop struggling,” Reis said in his low voice, I thrashed around even more, “You won’t go anywhere.”   
“She should know,” Dawn said.   
Arina nodded, “We can’t stop her from telling the others unless we tell her the whole story.”   
Reis took his hand from my mouth, “Promise not to scream.”   
I nodded, scared of what would happen if I do make a sound.   
Arina walked me over to the other room, her grip on my arm firm but gentle. I looked longingly back at Hawk’s sleeping form, wondering if there was any way that I could wake him. Any of my siblings.   
“So,” Reis said, looming out from the darkness before me, “You know about the magic and that Dawn and I can turn into animals. And you can too.”   
“No!” I said, shaking my head, “That’s not possible.”   
Arina’s eyes were liquid blue in the dark, “It is. You have just been altered to not know that. If you tried, you could in all possibility turn into your animal form, like Dawn.”   
“It’s true,” Dawn looked almost regretful. Almost.   
“How could you keep that from me, from us,” I lashed out at Dawn but Arina held me back. I growled at her and jumped back surprised.   
Growl? But...   
Then all the times that I’ve growled unconsciously come back and I slumped against Arina defeated.   
“It’s all true isn’t it. All of it.”   
Arina looked guilty, “Yes.”   
Then, memories came flooding back. Not all of them were mine, or at least that I knew before now. I knew that a spell was cast on my siblings and me so we didn’t remember what we were. Our parents were the same as us, but they knew. They were the ones that...   
“It was Mom and Dad,” I said.   
Dawn hung her head, “Yes.”   
“They did this to us? But how could they?”   
“I don’t know,” Dawn’s voice was haunted.   
“It all came back?” Arina asked curiously.  
I nodded.  
“We must go back to bed,” Reis spoke for the first time, “We can’t seem tired tomorrow or the others will be suspicious.  
Arina and Dawn murmured in agreement and we follow him to bed. I watched as he became a cat again and curled up beside Quinn and Arina.  
I lay opposite Dawn for a long time, staring at the sleeping forms of my family and reluctant allies before falling into an uneasy sleep.  
***  
I woke early the next morning to a certain cat pawing my face. I opened my eyes and saw the yellow eyes staring down at me. I leapt up with a squeak, upsetting the cat from my lap onto the ground.  
“He woke me up like that too,” Dawn said, “And he won’t do it again because I kicked him in the gut.”  
“Thank you very much for that,” Reis had turned back into a human and his voice dripped with sarcasm.  
Dawn rolled her eyes, “I don’t do very well when people sneak up on me.”  
“I noticed,” Reis said.  
“Are we going to tell them?” I whispered.  
Reis’ eyes faded from cat yellow to human green, “No.”  
“Why not,” I growled, beginning to pace around the room.  
Dawn stepped in, “Not yet. They won’t believe outsiders. So we need to teach you how to become your animal form, and fast.”  
“Who will teach me?”  
“Dawn, Quinn and I,” Reis said.  
“But Quinn’s sick,” I looked over at her. Her face was ghostly pale.  
Reis raised an eyebrow, “You need to heal her.”  
“Of course,” I glared at him.  
“You make breakfast,” I told Dawn, “And I’ll wake up the kids. You should probably turn into a cat again, Reis.”  
“I was about to,” He smirked and shifted back to his cat form. I walked around the room, shaking shoulders and whispering in ears. I walked over to the storage shelves and took down chamomile and feverfew, to help Quinn’s fever and more comfrey for her wound. Across the room, Arina had woken Quinn up and she was laying there, glassy eyes, talking incoherently. Everyone else was getting up too, Thistle antagonizing some of the little girls while Briar and Hawk helped Dawn with breakfast.  
After heating up the chamomile and feverfew to make tea for Quinn, I attempted to coax her into drinking it.  
“Just drink it, Quinn,” I said, “It’ll help you.”  
“Where’s Reis?” Quinn looked around confused. The cat leapt onto her lap. “There you are.”  
I pushed the cup into her hands, “Come on Quinn, just a few sips.”  
Quinn dutifully took a sip and made a funny face, “It tastes weird.”  
“I’m sorry if it does. Just drink it and you’ll feel better.”  
It went on like this for some time before Quinn finally settled down, sipping the tea. I walked over to the crowded table and sat down beside Hawk.  
“Why is this oatmeal always so boring,” Bliss complained, playing with her oatmeal.  
“Don’t play with your food, just eat it,” Briar said before turning to talk to Sky.  
Bliss made a silly face at Briar before staring gloomily at her oatmeal.  
Across the table, Thistle nodded, “Why can’t we go somewhere else. Get different food.”  
“We should find a new trading post!” Marigold shouted.  
“How far away do you think another one is?”  
“Would they have other food?”  
“Maybe we could have something else for breakfast!”  
Soon everyone was talking and shouting, except me. I just sat there, hoping that they would all just shut up.  
Arina stood up, “I know a place.”  
Suddenly everyone was deathly quiet.  
“What place?” Hawk asked.  
“It’s not far,” Arina continued, “Just a few hours. Probably the nearest cool-spot for a hundred miles.”  
Cool-spots are small patches of land that are, for whatever reason, much cooler than the surrounding area. They also get a lot more rain and everything grows super-fast in them. They’re probably some of the only remnants of Before and often have market places and trading posts that spring up in them.  
All at once, people started shouting again.  
“I wanna go!”  
“Take me!”  
“I didn’t go last time!”  
“It’ll be an adventure!”  
“Fine,” I said, “We’ll go.”  
Everyone cheered.  
“But, I can’t take everyone.”


End file.
